Automatic moving shadow-picture.



UNITED STATES i PATENT O'EEICE;

FREDERICK W. lLOSBORN, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.`

AUTOMATIC MOVING SHADOW-PlCll'U RE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of )Letters Patent No. 693,430, dated February 18, 1902.

Application filed J' une 26,1961.

To all tveont it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. OsEoRN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, `and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Moving Shadow- Pictures, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provideav device for producing moving shadow-pictures upon a translucent screen, in which device the moving effect of the object is produced in the shadow-picture by changing the relative position of the light to the figure or the figure to the light.

The construction of my device is explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a side view of my invention, partly in section; and Fig. 2 is a front view of the same. e

Like parts are identified by the same reference-letters in both views.

A represents a frame. B is a translucent' screen, which is secu red at its marginal edges to said frame, asindicated in Fig. l.

C represents a iigure, which is suspended at its upper end from the frame A or screen B and is adapted when not in use to lie .flat throughout its entire length against the screen B. When, however, it is used for throwing a shadow upon the screen, Ithe lower end is raised and engaged against the upper edge D of the lower side of the frame, as shown in Fig. l, whereby said figure C is caused to curve outwardly and away from said screen, as indicated in said Fig. l.

E represents a movable light or taper,whic is preferably suspended from the upper side of the frame A by the bracket F, iieXible connection G, and hangers I-I.

It will be understood that, owing to the fact that the center of the figure C is located at a distance from the screen, the shadow of such figure upon the'screen-will be thrown toward the right and left ory upwardly and downwardly by a corresponding inverse movement of said light, thus giving theshadow-picture the appearance of moving in various directions corresponding with the movements of the light. It will also be understood that the size of said shadow-picture upon the screen Serial No. 66,05 7. (No model.)

will be increased and diminished as said light is moved nearer to or farther from the figure C. These various movements of the gure may be produced by the'manual act of the operator or they may be automatically produced in the manner indicated in Fig. l by suspending the light from the flexible connection G, which may be a spiral wire or rubber band. When thus suspended, a slight movement of the atmosphere or an occasional movement of the hand will serve to keep the light in motion, whereby an almost infinite vvariety of changes in the shadow-picture will be produced upon the screen.

' While I have illustrated asimple means of automatically producing the desiredy movements, the same may be produced by clockwork or in a great variety of other ways Without departing from the spirit of my inventioni While the invention thus far described may be used as an interesting toy-,it may also serve as an efficient and attractive medium for advertising, in which case the advertising matter may be printed upon the marginal edges of the frame, and while I have shown and described a device for changing the shadowpicture by moving the light or taper it is obvious that substantially the same effects may be produced by moving the screen and ligure and permitting the taper to remain at rest.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim'as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A device for producing moving shadow; pictures, comprisinga translucent screen; a Afigure conforming in outline to the picture desired to be represented upon the screen, l0- cated upon the rear side of, and wholly or in part at a slight distance from, said screen; means for directing rays of light upon the rear side of said figure and screen; and means for changing the relative position of said rays of light and said gure to each other, whereby the shadow of said figure upon the screen will be caused to move, and its appearance changed and varied in size and shape, as set forth. v

2. A device for producing automatically moving shadow-pictures, comprising a translucent screen; an opaque figure, representing the outlines of the person or thing which it is desirous to reproduce upon the screen,

IDO

suspended in a curved coneavo-convex position in rear of said screen; a light located in rear of said figure and screen; and means for automatically moving said light and changing its relative position to said figure, as set forth. l

3. In adevice forprodueing automa-tie moving shadow-piotures, the combination of a frame A; translucent screen B secured at its marginal edges to said frame; a exible Iigure C suspended at its upper end from the upper side of said screen,^and means for holding the same in a curved position in rear of FREDERICK W'. OSBORN.

Witnesses:

JAS. B. ERWIN, CHAs. G. WHEELER. 

